Duke Energy Restores Power to Over a Million Customers in Carolinas Post-Hurricane Helene Despite Infrastructure Damages

Duke Energy Restores Power to Over 1.1 Million in South and North Carolina Post-Hurricane Helene

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Duke Energy has reported the restoration of power to more than 1.1 million customers in South and North Carolina. The massive recovery effort was launched less than 48 hours after the storm devastated parts of these regions.

Obstacles in Power Restoration

However, the full restoration of power has been impeded due to significant damages to the power infrastructure and difficult weather conditions. Downed trees, blocked roadways, and damaged and destroyed power equipment have been some of the major challenges in the South Carolina Upstate region and North Carolina mountains.

Remaining Power Outages

As of the latest update, approximately 904,000 customers, primarily in South Carolina’s Upstate and North Carolina’s mountains, still remain without power. Unfortunately, some areas where the power system has been entirely destroyed will need to be completely rebuilt before service is restored by Friday.

Ground and Aerial Assessment

“Based on what we can see on the ground, from helicopter and by drone, there are lots of areas across the South Carolina Upstate and North Carolina mountains where we’re going to have to completely rebuild parts of our system, not just repair it,” said Jason Hollifield, Duke Energy storm director for the Carolinas. The recovery teams are working in collaboration with local and state officials to gain access to the hardest-hit areas, aiming to restore power as swiftly as possible.

Workforce and Restoration Updates

Duke Energy had strategically positioned lineworkers, tree trimmers, and other storm support personnel prior to Helene’s arrival and they started responding before the storm even exited the region. The company now has around 18,000 personnel working on storm restoration efforts across the Carolinas. These include Duke Energy employees and contractors based in the Carolinas, as well as individuals from other electric companies across the United States and Canada.

Restoration Sequence and Future Updates

Duke Energy is focused on restoring power in a sequence that enables power restoration to public health and safety facilities while considering how to impact the greatest number of customers. Updates regarding the status of power restoration will be provided to customers, and are continually updated on Duke Energy’s Outage Maps tool. Customers also have the option to enroll in Outage Alerts to get information about area outages and restoration efforts via text message, voice message, or email.

Power Safety Measures

It is important to remember that customers who are using power generators should turn them off if they see utility crews in the area, as excess electricity generated can feed back onto electric lines. This can lead to severe injuries to line technicians. Additional safety information regarding power generators is available on the Duke Energy’s website.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy, a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Serving 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, the company is collectively responsible for 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities additionally serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky. Duke Energy is currently executing a clean energy transition, aiming for net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050.